Des Moines man makes plea deal in drug death case

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines man has made a plea deal in a case stemming from the death of a 17-year-old boy.

The Des Moines Register reports (http://dmreg.co/J10G3G) that 19-year-old Skylar David McDuffey-Valadez pleaded guilty on Friday to a charge of conspiracy to deliver a controlled drug. Prosecutors dropped a charge of involuntary manslaughter in exchange for McDuffey-Valadez’s plea. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21.

Prosecutors say Austin Cort ingested eight methadone pills given to him by McDuffey-Valadez after McDuffey-Valadez and another friend picked up Cort from work in December 2011. Officials say Cort died from the overdose.

Police say the pills were taken from the legally prescribed supply held by a grandmother of one of the boys.